Rylance did shoot several scenes for the Sept. 29 opener, but they were cut for time, per a Good Wife insider, who stresses that the English actress was technically only committed to doing one episode (with the possibility of it evolving into a recurring gig).

In an interview with AfterEllen.com back in July, Good Wife cocreator Robert King described Holly as a “party girl” who possesses a “passionate side,” adding, “She feels like Kalinda is closeted and she really should announce herself, that it’s wrong for her to be so withdrawn about her sexuality. And with Kalinda it’s not a political thing. She’s not closeted, she’s really private. There’s this real disconnect between the two of them.”

UPDATE: According to sources, Rylance’s lead role in Cinemax’s 10-episode Steven Soderbergh-helmed drama The Knick may have been a contributing factor in her abrupt Good Wife exit.

Kalinda is being pushed further and further away from the show. I don’t understand it. Her role gets smaller and smaller. I know that everything changed when it was learned that Kalinda and Peter slept together, but The Good Wife not utilizing Kalinda more and not going into her personal and professional life is silly. The show is really good, but she makes it great. This is another bad sign. I was really looking forward to seeing Kalinda with someone this season.

Seriously. It’s such a bummer. Even small moments with Kalinda really make the show pops, and now she really has been sidelined. So she can’t have a relationship with Alicia anymore because Julianna doesn’t want it, her relationship with Carey can’t be on screen because “they want the mystery”, and now she can’t have a relationship outside of Carey or Alicia?

ITA, it’s such a letdown, they’ve isolated her from the only characters/relationships that people care about (friendship with Alicia, romance with Cary) and it’s baffling why (not really though…).
I just wish egos could be set aside and TGW could go back to producing what’s best for EVERYONE (this goes for the show on the whole itself). TGW is at it’s best WITH Kalinda.

Jill Flint has a new show too. It’s on NBC as a mid-season premier I think. I’m guessing it’s going to tank from early critic reviews, but regardless…she probably won’t be available till mid-season or later (if at all).

Agreed. I have always thought of Kalinda as being one of the main characters on the show even though she has never had as much screen time. She is fantastic on the show and they need to get her back in the circle… It seems like they think the only storyline she can have now involves some sort of relationship story (which would be great as long as it’s not as terrible as her ex coming back was)… Just get her back into the private detective stuff again!

Well said, and this development is just more bad news. Now it really seems TVLine’s prediction about Kalinda being written out is true. Which is probably the worst decision the show could make.
Alicia has actually become more and more unlikable over the seasons (perhaps the writers thinks she’s “coming out of her shell” but she’s actually become rude and obnoxious), Peter is still a sleazebag, their kids are annoying, Jackie is a pill, and Veronica is just another distraction. TGW is turning into “Florrick Family Values” and it’s such an inane direction to take the show. They should go back to the seasons 1+2 formula of emphasis on cases while exploring the facets of Kalinda, Will and Diane (who are infinitely more compelling than the Florricks).
If Kalinda is indeed gone then I am done with the show.

I almost forgot about Kalinda. It’s wrong the way they’re doing her. Now that annoying blond chick is getting more screen time. Juliana M. Doesn’t want their friendship to progress? I didn’t know that. Hmmm.

It’s not that Julianna Margulies has anything against Archie Panjabi, or Kalinda per se, but she doesnt find it realistic for Kalinda and Alicia to be friends after what occurred, and she doesn’t see how it’s possible for them to rebuild their relationship. Now, I am not saying that she is wrong, but if the writers are doing their job then they will figure out a way to incorporate Kalinda back into the fold. Because if I wanted things to be 100% real I wouldn’t watch the show, I watch shows to be entertained, and Kalinda being the Kalinda of old is 100% entertaining, right now the show is sorely lacking that. The show has had 2 big big mistakes, they have had others 1. Was introducing Kalinda’s husband and doing a terrible job at it, 2. Was having it revealed that Kalinda slept with Peter. They have seriously messed up with the character of Kalinda and I just don’t understand why.

The creators had planned Kalinda/Peter from the beginning. It was probably part of the pitch for the show. They originally planned to have Alicia find out during season 1 but they enjoyed watching the Alicia/Kalinda friendship so much that they delayed it to the later half of season 2.

I like Kalinda and all but after that whole awful husband storyline, I’m okay with not seeing Kalinda’s romantic life. I’d love to see the friendship between her and Alicia pick up, but guessing Alicia leaving won’t help with that much.

Me too. I loved Kalinda in the early seasons but the season 4 Nick drama (and her later negotiation over health insurance drama) made me see her as an unstable, sexually manipulative drama-queen rather than the cool, collected, intelligent woman that I admired early on. I’m happy to see any movement *away* from her sex life (we get it, she’s a “hunter” who uses sex to get what she wants — can we move on already?) and toward her platonic relationships.

I want to see more of Kalinda being torn between Alicia/Cary vs. Diane vs. Will — because soon enough, she’s going to have to choose. Isn’t that a hell of a lot more fascinating than seeing her knocking sexy boots with yet another random guest star?

Kalinda needs to recover from that entire stupid debacle, ASAP. She’s lost her ‘mystery’ and instead of developing as a character, she regressed into being a childish, bratty moron because of the whole Nick business. Right now, I’m actually kind of glad we’re seeing only a little of her — it gives me time to actually miss her!

Thank you. I don’t usually read or watch interviews with her because I’ve heard some not so nice things about her behind the scenes. I feel really bad for Archie. Such a waste of a great talent. No sense in me watching anymore if Kalinda is being ousted.

i seriously don’t understand what they’re doing with kalinda… she had two minutes of screen time total last night and she slayed. she was amazing and the only thing she did was react to finding out alicia’s leaving. I mean, they have to know she’s a fan favorite right? i’m really bummed about the way she’s being treated. I still love the show and i’m enjoying this season, but it feels like something is missing, and that something is more kalinda.

There doesn’t seem to be a reason for this new direction. Is the actress suddenly unavailable? Did the writers change their mind? More and more it feels like Kalinda is being written out. After that horrendous arc with her ‘husband’ she has been all but MIA. She literally is the reason I started watching TGW. I’ve never cared much for Juliana Margulis but the character of Kalinda intrigued me. She was badass and fearless and interesting. How did they make that Lee character a regular and keep Kalinda in the background? TGW is amazingly written, but its not enough anymore. I have already dropped several shows this season. Maybe this one will be next. With the super low ratings, I doubt it goes beyond this season anyways. Archie Panjabi should get her own show on cable.

Am I the only one that thinks this is a good idea? I’ve liked Kalinda best when she is interacting with people from the office and doing detective work. Not her MANY love interests, mostly who have been dull compared to Kalinda and totally not worthy of her.

I’m not opposed to them dropping the story if they actually replace it with something else. But since S3, this is how it goes for K…Kelli Giddish got SVU and disappeared, then nicole beharie was replaced…and we ended up with Dana Lodge, which was horrible. Followed by Nick. Followed by ten Kalinda Lite episodes. I think they short change her with all the focus on her sexuality…BUT its better than no Kalinda at all :(

I’m with you. I’m tired of Kalinda’s sexuality being her only story; I want them to focus on either her work and/or her platonic relationships. I think it’s fine to put her on the back-burner for a while; I have faith that they’ll come up with something better for her later on in the season!

Damn. Why? It’s so unfair. I love Kalinda. She needs to be used more. She is an amazing actress… she won an emmy for goodness sake. Why are they doing this to her? Please don’t write Kalinda out. I was looking forward to seeing Kalinda with another female… it’s the way it should be.

I’m not surprised. Everyone was in uproar when she was given her ex-husband story line. Now the writers don’t want to complicate her with another romantic interest. I don’t even think she is still over with the FBI lady. Everyone stop making it out as if she is being written out. Its only been what 3 episodes.

The problem with the ex-husband wasn’t that it was a romantic Kalinda storyline. The problem with the ex-husband was that he was intellectually beneath her, a violent, worthless thug, and RIDICULOUS. The casting didn’t help either- there was no chemistry or charisma there that could even partially explain how somebody like Kalinda got involved with a moron like that.

Have you been watching the same show we have? It’s been 3 episodes this season. But Kalinda didn’t have a storyline for the back half of S4 either. A few scenes here and there, but she was fairly underused. I guess for me it’s less that she has less screen time and more that she has a crappy narrative AND less screen time.

I am shocked so many people are Kalinda fans. Her pouting and boots just annoy me. Kalinda out I say! The huaband story being.so weak that it confirmed to me that the show coukd be much better without her

On one hand I am happy because I want Kalinda to be with Cary. There is so much untapped potential there, it drives me mad that they don’t properly explore it. One the other, this seems like just another way to cut Kalinda’s screentime. I seriously hope Ausiello wasn’t right in his prediction about her being written out because she is the best part of the show. JM and her ego can suck it.

The show has never dissapointed me before, so I am sure her screen-time will increase in the coming weeks. Every character on the show had a time on the show that their screen time was very minimal, so I guess this is Kalinda’s period. I know everyone loves her ( so do I ), but I love the show as a whole aswell. And to be honest I wasn’t waiting for yet another love interest for Kalinda. I’d rather see her single, or maybe see her flirt, but that’s it. If she’s supposed to end up with anyone it’s either Cary, or Lana. JM has said in an interview that there’s some Alicia/Kalinda stuff coming up, and a lot of Kalinda/Will, and Kalinda/Diane, so I’m sure we will see more of her. Have trust in the creators!

It’s not so much a lack of trust in the Kings as it is in JM’s character.
She appears to be making decisions based on jealousy … or something just as venal.
If Kalinda is written off the show, I’m going to be one of many fans who will sadly, but definitely, have to give up on The Good Wife.

Personally, I’m not bothered by the lessening focus on Kalinda. I loved the character but IMO, none of the attempts to give her more story worked for me and the business with the ex-husband was such a fiasco that I spent much of last season cringing at the sight of Kalinda. Also, JM isn’t wrong on this. It would be unrealistic for Alicia and Kalinda to go back to being the friends they were after that kind of betrayal.

So they cut the one big storyline they had planned for her this season? Look, I don’t care if they focus on Kalinda’s love life or not, but they need to give her more screen-time. I know we’re not getting Alicia-Kalinda because of Julianna’s views and the creators don’t seem to want to pursue Cary/Kalinda at this point…but give the woman SOMETHING to do. Strengthen her friendships with Will and Diana, give her more responsibility at LG, get her more involved with Eli…SOMETHING. Kalinda is one of the most popular characters on the show and her lack of screen-time is hurting the show in the long run.

Again?? That wouldn’t happen if they booked the damn actresses they are relying exclusively on for Kalinda’s arcs! First Jill Flint, then Kelli Giddish… see a pattern??
Great actresses won’t just wait around for The Good Wife to call in case they want to have two scenes with kalinda in one episode. They need commitment!

Kalinda is my favorite character on this show. I know I should be rooting for Alicia but somehow haven’t warmed up to her character as much as I would like to. Regarding the Peter thing, Alicia forgave Peter, there’s never been a frank conversation with Kalinda about what exactly happened, I find that weird, I’m sorry but it almost seems like they’ve decided not to bring them back together at all, regardless. Meanwhile neither of them have friends in which they can confide. Also loved the Kalinda-Cary interactions, lots of untapped potential there and that’s also been squashed. By the way I’m on season 4, not yet started season 5 but so far loved season 1 and 2, season 3 was a letdown and not sure about season 4.